There are three family monuments taken from the walls of the old church. Another small but very elegant one has been added, in memory of Robert and William Morden, second and fourth sons of the late Sir William Morden Harbord, Baronet, and brothers to the present Lord Suffield.
This monument was executed by C. Rynart.
As in all human efforts there will be some defects, so it happens that Thorp Church is not entirely free; but what few there are, are so well counterbalanced by its beauties, which are numerous, that it cannot fail to be in a high degree worthy the attention of the curious.
This church, with Gunton Hall, the seat of his Lordship, may be conveniently inspected in a ride from Cromer to North-Walsham.
The house is by no means equal to the ideas we may be led to form of it from the plantations which surround it. It is, however, pleasantly situated upon an eminence which overlooks an extensive sweep of the park towards the south.
The description of the house, offices, and Gunton Church, which stand but a small distance from each other, I shall quote from the History of Norfolk, having myself never seen more than the outside, it not being, I believe, publicly shown.
“Gunton Hall, the seat of Sir Harbord Harbord, is at present a small house but is going to be enlarged and has lately been ornamented with new offices, under the direction of Mr. Wyatt. They are by far the most complete buildings for the purpose of any thing in this kingdom; the new stile of architecture is by its lightness and extreme elegance well adapted to offices, and these are particularly worthy the attention of strangers, from the studied contrivance for conveniency in the apartments, as, also, for the slate covering, which consists of small square pieces of slate, each fastened by wood skrews.”
“Not far from the house is the parish church which by the late Sir William Harbord was taken down and rebuilt, with a magnificent portico of the Doric order; this receives an additional degree of sanctity from two venerable druidical oaks which grace the front of it.”
North-Walsham is situated about three miles from Gunton, it is a dull, unpleasant town with a market on Thursdays, a turnpike road has lately been established from this town to Norwich, from which it is distant fourteen miles.
Two miles from Gunton is Hanworth, the seat of Robert Lee Doughty, Esq. an excellent modern house, situated in a small but very pleasant park, well wooded and laid out with taste; a farm house and the parish church which stands on an eminence, both in the park, are very pretty objects as seen from the road.